


Through Fire and Hell

by Aifrit



Series: Voidstrike Drabbles [5]
Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Cute, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Hugs, Kissing, Mild spoilers for Broken Ghost Chapter 2, Protectiveness, Relationship(s), Sleep Deprivation, Very very mild PTSD reference if you read between the lines, Voidstrike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24581245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aifrit/pseuds/Aifrit
Summary: "Wraith has never seen Anita this worked up and agitated before. The woman's usually calm and collected, levelheaded and grounded. But this? It's unreal."
Relationships: Bangalore | Anita Williams/Wraith | Renee Blasey
Series: Voidstrike Drabbles [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776784
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Through Fire and Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Though Fire and Hell  
> Pairing: Bangalore/Wraith (Voidstrike)  
> Rating: T?? for some...very very very minor references to Bangalore's past and mental state  
> Words: 1189  
> Prompt Request: "In one of the quests wraith stated that she never seen Bangalore so worked up so can you make it when the two are alone Bangalore just needs a light kiss and a hug please?"
> 
> A/N: Another thing I wrote on Tumblr. Enjoy!

Wraith has _never_ seen Anita this worked up and agitated before. The woman's usually calm and collected, levelheaded and grounded. But this? It's unreal.

Anita leans against the wall next to Wattson's bed, arms folded and nose flared. Her fingers tap her biceps in some irregular fashion, then tug at the sleeves of her henley shirt. She's been silently glowering into space for the last two minutes, right when the rest of the group dispersed for the night. She hasn't moved, hasn't uttered a word since, not even to recap her unfiltered thoughts on what to do about Loba or Revenant or the recon operation overall. Anita usually gets quiet when she's thinking or pissed, but Wraith hasn't seen... _this_ before.

She honestly can't take it.

"Bang," she calls out.

There is no response.

Wraith bites the corner of her bottom lip before she gets up from her seat on a table to stand in front of Anita. "Bang?"

Anita's just... staring in front of her, deep brown eyes glazed over in some faraway, thousand-yard stare. It's like nothing registers. Neither the lights nor the cramped men's room nor Wraith standing right in front of her. It's beyond terrifying.

Wraith calls out again. "Bang. Look at me."

Nothing. Not even a blink of acknowledgement. She just taps away on her arm.

Wraith cups the woman's head with both hands, just below the ears. "Anita. Anita, _look_ at me."

Finally, there's a spark of life in her eyes, and Anita focuses, gazing down right into Wraith's own. It's a relief to see, if anything, even as she leans forward to knock her forehead into Wraith's and settles there. She wraps her arms around Wraith in a gentle hug and just...stays.

Wraith snakes her own around Anita's neck. Anita's solid and warm, just as she always is, but something's off. She's shaking, _trembling_ , and doing an awful job of hiding it. And that's when Wraith pulls away and notices the dark circles under Anita's eyes. She cups the woman's face again, thumb caressing sunken-in skin. "When did you last sleep? Be honest."

Anita shrugs away from the touch, burying her face into the crook of Wraith's neck. "Two days ago," she whispers.

Her grip at Wraith's waist loosens enough to make Wraith think she'll topple over at any second. She composes herself just enough for Wraith to support some of her weight. Regardless, if she doesn't get sleep soon, she'll end up collapsing anyway.

Wraith isn't entirely surprised, but she curses herself for not seeing it sooner. She figures it's that old military training and leadership driving Anita forward full speed ahead. She probably feels like she _needs_ to lead, _needs_ to keep the operation under control to lead everyone to safety on the other side. And Wraith gets it. She _understands_. Even in the heat of battle during an Apex match, Anita's the one leading the charge no matter who takes point. She's the mastermind, the tactician, and the weight of the world falls on her shoulders alone. But...

"Bang. You don't have to do this alone."

Anita's strength returns, if only for a few seconds, as she hugs Wraith closer against her. "I can't... I can't lose anyone else."

"We. _We_ can't lose _anyone_. And we won't. Natalie's still with us. What happened wasn't your fault. Look at me."

Anita looks exhausted, stressed, just...tired, and it makes Wraith's heart _ache_. They're all working to the bone to get to the bottom of this predicament, but Anita's been silently destroying herself to see this plan through. Even now, there's a part of Wraith that feels like she's missing something about this, maybe a deeper reason as to why Anita forces the entire burden unto herself. But it doesn't feel like the right time to know.

Wraith ghosts the nape of Anita's neck with her nails. She draws Anita closer, barely a hair’s breadth apart from her, and stares her dead in the eyes with all the compassion she can muster. "I'm _with_ you in this. All the way. You _know_ that."

Her words seem to come across as more of a light scolding than a reminder. Anita averts her eyes and dips her face back into the crook of Wraith's neck.

She softens her tone. "I'm here for you, Bang. I'm always here for you. Just let me take care of you, too."

Anita grasps the back of her shirt as her hug tightens a degree. She stays silent for a long couple of minutes until she finally whispers, "Sorry."

It's rare that Anita apologizes for anything. But this? Wraith can feel the exhaustion in her breathy release. She's not sorry for anything else but putting her own health and sanity at risk. Wraith sees that.

When she pulls away next, she sees Anita for who and what she truly is - a tall and strong woman, a natural-born leader who leaves no one behind. The tactician, the chess master, the shot-caller. A flawed human being who only wants the people she cares about most, the ones she swore to protect, to make it through to the end.

Wraith's overcome with unfamiliar emotions that tug at her heart and make her stomach flutter. The trust and connection she experiences now, in this very moment, is unparalleled. She's ready and willing to void jump through fire and brimstone and nine circles of hell for the woman in front of her. And through those weary, brown eyes she gazes into, the sentiment is just as strong. She cups Anita's jaw with one hand, draws her in as she closes her eyes.

Their lips brush before meeting for a single kiss. It’s soft, light, and many other words Wraith can’t think of detailing the delicacy of it. But it’s... different. The fire, the passion? Different than any other they’ve shared before. The realization excites and frightens Wraith down to her core.

The Voices are always silent around Anita, but she can hear the distant whispers in the back of her mind. She can’t make out anything that’s being said.

Finally, she licks her lips and composes herself. "Listen. You need to get some rest. Go home, okay? I'll watch Natalie tonight."

Anita loosens her grip and shakes her head. "No. I'm not leaving you here alone. Not with the Sim roaming around. I'll sleep here. Promise. Just... stay with me."

“Okay,” Wraith sighs as she drops to the floor beside Natalie's bed, tugging Anita's arm.

The taller woman follows, lying on the ground and resting her head in Wraith's lap. She reaches up to cup Wraith's face, brushing fingers across her cheek and jaw before turning towards the wall and drifting off into slumber.

Wraith has an idea of what she's feeling now, maybe, but they'll have to survive this ordeal if she wants answers, if she wants to explore that. In the meantime, she lets their leader sleep. It's the metaphorical calm before the incoming shit storm that may rock the foundation of all of their lives. But she'll be ready. She'll be ready with everyone standing beside her.

 _Especially_ Anita.


End file.
